Local Business Owner and Former Dentist, Pat Arroyo, Selected as ACT Local Candidate for Howick Local Board:

ACT Local has selected Pat Arroyo – a business owner with a background in health, education, and management – as its candidate for the Pakuranga Subdivision of the Howick Local Board in this year’s local election.

Pat Arroyo moved to NewZealand in the early 2000s, starting out on a dairy farm before building a career in dentistry and becoming a NewZealand Digital Dental specialist. Over the years, he has worked closely with dental companies and stakeholders such as the Ministry of Health, Counties Manukau’s dental portfolio, and several secondary schools delivering dental programmes for adolescents.

Through this work, Pat has helped introduce smarter technology to reduce waste, work more efficiently, and lower environmental impacts. Those same skills – making better decisions and delivering better outcomes – are what he’s ready to bring to council.

Today, as Managing Director and founder of his own company, Pat leads with a focus on efficiency, high standards, and genuine community care. A husband, father, and proud grandfather, he has called Howick home for many years. Pat’s long involvement with local initiatives and his drive to give back are what fuel his decision to stand for the Howick Local Board – to serve the people and neighbourhood he loves, and to help build a council that works for everyone.

“I’m standing to be a strong advocate for ratepayers and to push council to focus on what really matters. Too often, local boards are prioritising and pushing council to do things that don’t truly serve ratepayers, instead of focusing on core services. I’ll make sure we advocate for projects that bring real value – fixing what’s broken, supporting local businesses, and delivering practical improvements that make life better for families across Howick.” – Pat Arroyo

AI Innovation Leader, William Goldberg, Selected as ACT Local Candidate for Howick Local Board:

ACT Local has selected William Goldberg – an IT professional and AI innovation leader – as its candidate for the Howick Subdivision of the Howick Local Board in this year’s Auckland Council election.

William is currently Chief Growth Officer at Octovox, where he helps New Zealand businesses thrive using conversational voice AI. He also runs his own consulting company, helping clients with technology adoption and sales strategy. Earlier in his career, William held senior roles at companies including Cisco, Spark and BroadSoft, delivering global cutting-edge technology solutions that supported local businesses and communities.

He believes these realworld skills; managing budgets, leading projects, and solving problems, are exactly what Howick needs from its local board.

“Ratepayers deserve to see real results for the money they put in. I’ll make sure our local board is accountable, with decisions that are clear, transparent, and focused on the basics – so families and businesses can thrive, and Howick can grow confidently into the future.”– William Goldberg

Local Business Owner and Infrastructure Professional, Ali Dahche, Selected as ACT Local Candidate for Howick Ward and Howick (Botany Subdivision) Local Board:

ACT Local has selected Howick resident Ali Dahche – a local business owner, and infrastructure specialist, as its candidate for the Howick Ward in this year’s Auckland Council election.

Raised in Howick by hardworking immigrant parents, Ali grew up with a deep sense of community. After founding ASD Ventures to bring international investment into New Zealand’s property and infrastructure sectors, he’s now focused on making a difference in his hometown.

He has extensive experience managing major facilities and leading diverse teams both in New Zealand and overseas, including in the Middle East. Ali understands how to deliver projects on time and on budget, with a strong focus on practical results and avoiding waste.

He believes the current council is broken, with residents paying the price through rising rates, poor services, and endless red tape. Gridlock, delays, and ideology have become the norm while simple projects drag on for years. His priorities are fixing transport, stopping waste, ending anti-car policies, and making sure decisions reflect what locals actually want.

“Howick is home to me, it’s where I grew up and where I’m raising my own family. But lately, it feels like our community isn’t getting the basics right. Rates keep going up while services fall behind. I want to help turn that around. Running my own business and working overseas taught me how to be practical, stick to a budget, and deliver results. I’m not here for politics, I just want to fix what’s broken and make sure Howick stays a great place to live.” – Ali Dahche

Earlier this year, ACT New Zealand announced it would be standing Common Sense Candidates for local government for the first time – after hearing from New Zealanders across the country who are sick of rising rates, ballooning budgets, and councils that ignore the basics while chasing ideological vanity projects.

When you vote ACT Local, you know what you're getting:

• Fixing the basics
• Cutting the waste
• Ending race-based politics
• Restoring accountability

ACT Local Government spokesperson Cameron Luxton says:

“ACT Local candidates are community-minded Kiwis who’ve had enough of wasteful councils treating ratepayers like ATMs. It’s time to take control on behalf of ratepayers — to restore accountability and deliver real value for money. ACT Local is about getting the basics right: maintaining roads, keeping streets clean, and respecting the people who pay the bills. Our candidates won’t divide people by race or get distracted by climate vanity projects. They’re here to serve, not lecture." – Cameron Luxton

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